TIRANA, April 21 /ATA/ The Director of the National Food Authority (AKU), Blerina Gjylameti, stated on Tuesday that food safety is a crucial moment and a clear, decisive step for Albania in fulfilling European standards as part of its European Union accession process.

The statement was made during a meeting in Tirana with food industry stakeholders on the topic “Food Safety – A National Priority and Shared Responsibility for EU Integration,” which was attended by Prime Minister Edi Rama and the European Union Ambassador to Albania, Silvio Gonzato.

Gjylameti highlighted that fulfilling the EU’s requirements is no longer a long-term objective, but rather an immediate and unequivocal priority for Albanian institutions.

“Food safety is not merely a technical standard, but a contract of trust between the state, the industry, and the citizens,” she stated.

According to her, the ongoing process does not aim at shutting down businesses, but rather at raising standards, strengthening the market, and building a fair and trustworthy system.

Gjylameti announced that the process of evaluating and categorizing establishments has officially begun in four sectors: meat and its by-products, milk and its by-products, eggs and fish, as well as animal feed.

She emphasized that, for this process, which is being carried out for the first time in the country, technical roundtables have been organized with sector representatives, with the support of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the National Economic Council, to address the requirements within the EU integration process.

Additionally, according to her, meetings have been held with international partners such as GIZ, the World Bank, and the Lithuanian mission, as part of the EU Food4Safety program, with a focus on training and assistance for strengthening inspection capacities.

“It will help ensure the necessary standards for the development of the process and the improvement of the food safety system,” said Gjylameti.

She added that the categorization process is a fundamental tool for identifying the compliance levels of sectors, highlighting issues, and guiding investments and timelines for improvement.

According to her, the reform also focuses on strengthening infrastructure and laboratory capacities through the KRAK project, which foresees the establishment of four new laboratories from scratch, as well as the upgrading of three existing ones, alongside the improvement of border inspection points.

She emphasized that these investments will significantly enhance the accuracy of analyses, the speed of laboratory responses, and the reliability of the food control system.

“At the core of the reform is the construction of a transparent, measurable, and fair system. Categorization is not a formality, but a concrete tool that determines the level of compliance and guides improvements,” stated Gjylameti.

She emphasized that the process is being conducted with prior notification and in a structured manner to reflect the reality of the operation of establishments and their self-control systems.

“Food safety is a non-negotiable standard. No product that endangers the health of citizens will be part of the market. The European standard is not an obstacle, but the key to entering the common European market,” stated Gjylameti, highlighting that the National Food Authority (AKU) will support businesses throughout this transformation process. /j.p/sm/